Out in the teeth of a gale

Dry today but very very windy, so lets get out there quick!  
On foot though, today no idiot would go boating.  

It's by chance that when WaL was launched at Debdale that this was the marina that our builders used.  We had no idea, being clueless on many aspects of boats, boating and the UK's geography north of Surrey unless on the M1.  So to discover that Debdale is on the most beautiful arm of the GU and to go anywhere we have to travel down it in stunningly wonderful countryside was a joy.
I heartily implore you Reader not to divulge this, as clearly I don't want all the world and his mother here.

So we always take a bit of time each trip to Debdale to explore the immediate area a bit more.  Today a small hike south towards Foxton Locks but over the fields and not on the towpath, up a bit, and sort of back again.  I was shown the map, it made sense so I followed wearing a warm hat and having two hoods as well.

Lovely bright sunshine denied the icy chill wind, David reminded me that the later part of the walk would be right into the face of the icy wind..... I couldn't wait.

Ten mins out of sight of the boat, the footpath is diverted.  There is head scratching going on but we just carried on and ended up not remotely where we had thought but in a farm yard looking for the tiny yellow arrows placed here and not there but we peered around some barns we carried on.  Then out of a Land Rover  popped a well fed middled aged man in green tweed (of course) and kindly asked if we were looking for the footpath, he pointed it out, (He had to as he had ploughed it out, farmers are not supposed to do this.  Ask one)  it went straight through a ploughed field, to a hedge and then straight through another ploughed field.  This nice smiley man explained that his group were going on a shoot for pheasants, we could watch if we wanted, if we didn't have any objections...  
I merely said I had objections to being shot.

Well his companions were nothing like as smiley as him, as we all arrived roughly at the same place, none of the men made eye contact let alone smiled or returned our greetings.  I guess thats what I mostly have against shooting, its the people.  Then a miserable looking one's cap blew off and rolled right across the field...  didn't laugh at all!

Me and the shooters had feet like this.

Well David was right about heading back right into the teeth of a gale, it was a head down mouth shut sort of a return.

A hot shower, I put on my only dress and off we went back to Kibworth and to that lovely Italian restaurant we went to only  three days ago.  

So supper was pizza and panna cotta and I have to say that I was struggling to walk afterwards.  I can recommend it and I'll be popping back next time I'm in the area.

New NZ sheepskin slippers

Life is good.